8 Things You Can Do TODAY For Hormone Balance and Fertility
Don’t drink caffeine on an empty stomach. I’m not entirely anti-coffee (although many studies have shown too much isn’t great for fertility or hormones). A cup a day for most people is easily tolerated. However, it’s important to make sure you are consuming it in a way that will blunt some of the negative effects. So make sure you are not having your coffee on an empty stomach. Instead, have your coffee with breakfast. Caffeine spikes your cortisol (stress hormone) and insulin/blood sugar levels more dramatically when there isn’t food in your stomach.
Eat enough protein with each meal. Protein is an incredibly important macronutrient for hormone production and balance. If your diet lacks sufficient protein intake, the body may not have an adequate supply of amino acids to synthesize hormones effectively. It’s also integral for blood sugar stability. When you consume carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose, causing a spike in blood sugar. However, when you consume protein along with carbohydrates, it helps slow down the absorption of glucose, leading to more stable blood sugar levels. This is particularly important for insulin, a hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar. When blood sugar levels are stable, it helps prevent insulin spikes, which can contribute to insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances. I typically recommend 20-30g of protein with each meal.
Take your supplements. I always recommend a few key supplements for all of my fertility patients, including a good quality prenatal, omega 3 fish oil, and Vitamin D. All three are important for fertility and overall hormone balance. We may also recommend additional supplements depending on your individual health picture.
Get moving. Getting 30ish minutes of moderate exercise 3-5x per week helps to regulate stress levels, reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and produce feel good hormones like endorphins. All of these things are important for fertility. It doesn’t have to be going for a run or having to trek all the way to the gym. Even a brisk walk after dinner or on your commute home, or a YouTube yoga or workout class will suffice.
Stay hydrated. Proper hydration is essential for hormone regulation. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help flush out toxins and maintain hormone balance. But make sure you’re hydrating with warm or room temperature water and not iced water. In traditional Chinese medicine, your digestion system is described as a furnace, and anything that is too cold or raw will put out the fires and lead to sluggish digestion, bloating, and impaired nutrient absorption.
Reduce stress. There have been many studies on the negative effects of stress on fertility and the benefits of starting a meditation and mindfulness practice. It may seem daunting or be the last thing you feel like doing after a long day, but the benefits truly compound with time. Even just 10 minutes per day has been shown to have physiological benefits.
Go to bed early. This one is the biggest bummer for most people. Going to bed early is never fun, but if you’re getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, you may not be getting enough to support all of your body’s crucial processes. Try to be in bed by 11 pm, as the saying goes, one hour of sleep before midnight counts as two hours of sleep after midnight (we tend to have our deeper, more rejuvenating type of sleep in the earlier hours of the night). Countless studies show sleep is crucial for fertility and hormone balance.
Book an Acupuncture appointment. Acupuncture is a wonderful and extremely effective modality that improves fertility and regulates hormones by regulating the HPA axis, increasing blood circulation to the reproductive organs, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, and decreasing inflammation to boost egg quality.
All of the little things you do each day can add up to have a huge impact on your hormone balance and fertility. If you are looking for support in these diet and lifestyle changes, feel free to book an initial consultation.
In healing,
Allison Locke, R.TCM.P FABORM OBAAM IHP